[MRCA] Thoughts and reflections

[Ray Fantini]

After having a couple days to think about it thought I would post some personal comments on this year's event.
First let me start by thanking the management of the MRCA for once again staging a first class event. Look forward to it every year and it never fails meet or exceed my expectations. Also it's great to see how much Red Ball MVPA helps out with providing space and promoting our group during the event.
This year I arrived on site early Thursday morning, the idea was to travel overnight to avoid the traffic thru Philadelphia. Think next year will push my departing time back a little and plan on maybe arriving around or ten or eleven. The issue I have is that I want to try to be on site and unloaded to operate the M&S Net at noon. Would be curious to know what time others aim for?
Think the Friday field exercises were a big success. Don't know if we ever had that many field units dispatched to the west before. Do have a couple idea or comments that may be able to improve things but not certain if everyone would be interested in doing all this.
First would be to designate some of the larger stations that would be taking part along with their location on the map. I know a lot of people don't know where they will be going until the morning but some of us have a good idea in advance and a map with call signs would help. The second would be to have a couple points that would be guaranteed to be maned the entire time of the scheduled event. Especially for 51.0 making it a command channel to facilitate set up and test of field stations on the other bands. Having someone there who you can call and ask when things start or if your radio is working is a great resource.
On Saturday I spent a lot of time out in the vendor section and also working the MMRCG Net that was at ten local, so I was not around the Howell building and have to wonder if the Show and Tell went off there and what if anything happened with doing a small radio net? Maybe someone can fill me in on that?
Did notice about the time I got back to the Howell building around noon that a bunch of people were gone or were preparing to leave. I know people have long trips and the like but is there anything that we can do to maybe get people to stay around a little longer on Saturday? Maybe till two or so? Or is it the consensus that the event is just the right length now and don't mess with it?
Lot of questions and please don't think I am complaining about anything just wanted to get others opinions while the memory is still fresh. And once again thanks to everyone who was involved and who came out.


Ray F/KA3EKH

A footnote:

Am only posting to MRCA on this and not MMRCG or Milsurplus, figure this is an in house thing. Don't get me wrong, the MMRCG are great people and I still post over on Milsurplus occasionally but no longer receive there post being they have so much traffic, now days I just check there Archives now and then and just read what looks interesting.




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